


Reyuxmas 2019

by MBlair



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Multi, Reyuxmas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:06:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21524428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MBlair/pseuds/MBlair
Summary: Come and celebrate the holiday season with Hux and Rey! A series of stories following the themes of Reyuxmas 2019.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren/Rey, Armitage Hux/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14
Collections: Reyuxmas 2019





	1. Week One: Thanksgiving

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sunshineflying](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineflying/gifts).



> Hello readers! This is the first of a series of fics showing how Rey and Hux celebrate the holiday season today, with the occasional guest star dropping in! Characters for upcoming fics will be added as they appear. 
> 
> Week one is Thanksgiving. 
> 
> Be kind with comments, I'm really rusty. Also un-betaed! Hope you enjoy!

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**

Rey coughed as she closed the oven door again, hoping that would not only cut off the steady stream of smoke filling the kitchen but also stop the ear-splitting noise of the smoke alarm from the end of the hall. Inside sat a turkey, or what used to be a turkey. Now it would take a medical autopsy to be able to identify, and maybe not even then would it be distinguishable as any sort of food.

Turning the oven off and hoping it would keep the turkey from combusting any more than it already did, she turned back to the smoke filled kitchen, wondering how many windows it would take to clear out before the entire apartment froze.

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**

“Can someone please turn off the smoke alarm? It’s giving me a migraine!”

A sound came from the end of the hallway where the smoke detector had been before the apartment had been enveloped, something like a groan before a smash hit the floor.  
Rey walked out from the kitchen, not able to keep herself from laughing when she saw the smoke detector in pieces on the floor and both Hux and Ben bickering at an ever growing volume.  
“Did you seriously have to smash it? What if there is a fire?”

“You were the one complaining that you couldn’t get the battery out! What else did you expect me to do?”'

“I didn’t expect you to smash it into bits!”

Rey couldn’t control it as she burst into laughter, watching both men getting ever closer to ending their argument with fists, or more likely falling into bed, instead of words.  
“Hey guys… **BOYS** ,” she shouted, giggling a bit when both men sprang apart and looked at her in shock, neither of them realizing that she had been there at all. “Do you guys want to help me air out the apartment or do you want to fight all night?”

Both Hux and Kylo gave the other a look before moving into action, Hux opening windows in the living room and kitchen to help air out the smoke while Kylo went down to the basement to find the fans that would hopefully assist in the process.

“So…the turkey is toast. Literal toast,” Rey said as she walked into the living room a half hour later, sitting down on the couch that thankfully didn’t smell like smoke, unlike her clothes that she was positive would for the next year. The smoke had finally cleared, at least enough that the now smashed smoke alarm wouldn’t even go off, and the burning in her eyes finally faded.

“Remind me why we decided to make turkey again,” Ben asked, glancing over at Rey and raising an eyebrow. “Do you even know how to make one? I mean…I was always under the impression that you didn’t know much about cooking, since you usually get one of us to do it.”

Rey gave Ben a look that spoke volumes, especially _back off before I hurt you_ , not that she ever would of course. “I told you that I wanted to make Thanksgiving myself… Isn’t that something you’re supposed to be able to do,” Rey replied, stretching out a bit and trying to relax before she attempted to salvage what was left of their dinner. “Anyway, turkey is what you’re supposed to have on this holiday, or has everything that I’ve seen or read about this American holiday a lie?” Both Rey and Hux looked toward Ben, looking for an explanation.

Ben shrugged, flipping the channel away from football to a movie. “Yeah, it is tradition to have turkey on Thanksgiving. It was one of the few days a year my family actually sat down and had dinner together, so you can imagine how it usually went. It was…nice though.”

Hux and Rey exchanged a look that held an entire conversation in a second. If Thanksgiving had been such a happy tradition, why wasn’t he with them now? 

Sighing, Rey steeled herself and asked the question that no one wanted but needed to be asked. “So…why aren’t you with them now? If Thanksgiving was such a happy tradition?”  
Ben shrugged and stared at the television, wanting to look anywhere than in the eyes of his two newest friends. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin whatever there was going on between them and go back to being alone again. 

“My parents…they don’t approve of what I do. Or well, who I do it for really. When I started my new job, it caused a lot of issues, so I moved out here to start fresh,” he said after a few long moments, sighing. “I mean, I do miss them, but I can’t just drop everything I’ve worked hard for just because they don’t like it. I wouldn’t expect them to do that for me either.”  
“So they wouldn’t let you come home? Or you just didn’t want to,” Rey asked gently, Hux staying silent beside her. 

“I didn’t think I was going to be able to take the questions… _Are you still working for him? Don’t you know he’s a terrible person and will destroy everything I’ve ever fought for?_ ” Ben shook his head, getting up to walk into the kitchen for a drink, coming back a moment later with three beers, passing two of them off to Hux and Rey. “Those are the ones that are just from my mom. I can only imagine what my Dad and uncle would ask around the dinner table. Either way, it’ll just end with an argument.” 

“My father would be the same really… Asking if I’ve managed to make something of myself or if I’ll just crawl back home looking for a job,” Hux said after a moment, taking a large swig of his beer. “Not that I would ever go back to see him again anyway.” 

Rey finished her beer and curled up on the couch, not even sure what to say. She was used to not having any family to miss or talk about, but hearing her friends talk about theirs made her want to help but also a little jealous too. 

“We could be each other’s family… I mean, it’s what I’ve always done. When your family isn’t around or doesn’t want to be, you make one of your own,” she said, reaching out for both men’s hands to pull them up off the couch. “Now, let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves and try to salvage this dinner, shall we?”

“Do we even have anything that’s edible? I mean, what’s that?”

Rey put the sweet potato casserole on the counter, which looked very nice if she did say so herself, and looked over at Ben who was making a rather disgusted face at the orange vegetable with nicely browned marshmallows sitting on top. “They’re sweet potatoes,” she said defensively, crossing her arms over her chest. “Let me guess, another Thanksgiving tradition that was made up? People don’t actually eat this stuff?”

“I don’t know if people actually eat that or not, but I guess it’s not made up… They look like baby food that came back up.”

Hux laughed as he turned away from the two of them, pulling a pie out of the refrigerator, hearing a loud slap as Rey punched Ben in the arm. 

Ben sighed, getting his phone out. “Fine. I’ll order the pizza.”


	2. Week Two - Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for week two of Reyuxmas! This week's theme? Snow day and outdoor activities!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading on, here's a new addition to the Reyuxmas fic collection! Again, this is not beta-read and only slightly edited, so be kind in comments! Enjoy!

Snow. Rey couldn’t tell anyone, especially herself, why she thought about it so much. Maybe the fact that she had only ever seen it on television or in movies spoke to her in a way that nothing else did. Like something she was forbidden ever to see in person. When she and Hux moved out of their tiny Santa Fe apartment to Minneapolis the previous spring, she thought that she would finally get to experience winter. Feel the bracing cold on her fingertips and nose, possibly even slip on the ice a few times -- though she hoped that wouldn’t happen too often. So, when October and November came, the cold arrived with it, and Rey couldn’t have been happier. 

The night before had brought the snow, leaving the ground white and the air peaceful. Although it was a Saturday morning, everything was peaceful, the world seemed to pause and enjoy the winter instead of immediately destroying it. When Rey woke that morning, her eyes opening naturally instead of with the alarms she set for herself, she could feel that something was new. Something was different, almost like an instinct. She got up carefully, not wanting to wake Hux just yet, and walked toward the window. Something stopped her from opening the window to let the fresh winter air in, more than likely the cold itself that would freeze her to the spot on the wood floor. Instead, she took one last glance out the window before returning to bed, leaning forward to whisper in her lover’s ear. 

“Do you want to build a snowman?”

Hux groaned and turned over in bed, looking up at Rey with bleary eyes. “What?” 

Rey bounced a little bit on the bed, her face alight with childlike excitement at the prospect of snow, possibly even spending the entire day in it. “Armie, do you want to build a snowman? It snowed last night!” 

Sitting up, he turned to look over at the alarm clock, seeing seven staring back at him. It was far too early to be up on a Saturday, especially since most days he would already be at work. Weekends were their sleepy, relaxing days, and now Rey had got him up far too early. “Rey. Do you know what time it is? It’s seven on a Saturday!”

Rey pouted a little, knowing that he was right, but it was snowing. “Can we go later then? I want you to come with me.” 

Leaning over, Hux gave Rey a small kiss before settling them both back in bed, wrapping an arm securely around her to keep her close and warm. “Of course, darling. I promise we’ll go build a snowman. On one condition though.”

Rey closed her eyes, snuggling closer to him. “What’s the condition?” 

“Please don’t sing the song.” 

Two hours later, after just a bit more sleep, breakfast, and coffee, Rey and Hux left their apartment to the quiet of a Saturday morning. It seemed that none of their neighbors had decided to venture out into the cold yet, so they were largely alone in the tiny courtyard between buildings. 

“I still can’t believe you’ve never seen snow before,” Hux commented as Rey began to wander around, just taking everything in. He perhaps shouldn’t have been so shocked. Rey was a child of the desert, born and raised. Sometimes he felt bad that he had taken her out of the environment that she was used to, but now...seeing her so happy and enthusiastic about something that to most was so simple? No more regrets. 

“I grew up in the desert, remember? There’s not much snow unless we go up into the mountains and Granddad didn’t like to travel much,” Rey commented from nearby, where she had begun to pick up snow and form it into a small ball. “Not that he wouldn’t have if I asked, but...I guess I never did. He did enough for me already, taking me in, giving me a really good life. I didn’t want to ask for too much.” 

“I don’t think asking to go to the mountains or somewhere other than home would be considered too much, Rey. I met your grandfather, remember? He loved you so much. I’m pretty sure he would have done anything to make you happy,” he replied, remembering the kind and stubborn man she had been raised by. 

Rey nodded, sighing sadly at the comment. He was right, of course. Granddad Ben would have done anything to make her happy, especially with her less than ideal childhood before coming into his care. She somehow didn’t regret not asking for more though, since he gave her all the love she never knew she needed and desperately wanted. “I wish he was still around… I think he would have been happy to see me still with you. He liked you, you know.” 

“I know, darling. I admired him too and I’ve always been grateful to him for you. For how incredible you are,” Hux replied, coming over to give Rey a small kiss. “I love you, Rey.” 

“I love you too,” Rey replied, kissing Hux back gently. A moment later, Hux jumped back with a screech that sent birds into flight, the man jumping and brushing at his back to get the large lump of cold snow out from the inside of his shirt and jacket. As Hux tried to free himself from the icy blast along his back, Rey ran to hide behind a half brick wall on the other side of the courtyard, knowing Hux would come back quickly with his vengeance. 

“Oh no, you don’t! Get back here, you little minx,” he said, laughing and forming a snowball with his hands, coming closer to start throwing at Rey. Rey formed her snowballs quickly, ready to strike back with her assault as soon as he arrived. Soon snowballs were flying across the yard, both Hux and Rey forming them almost as soon as they flew, leaving both frozen to the bone and laughing before too long. 

After nearly an hour of chasing around the courtyard throwing snowballs, Hux grabbed Rey around the waist and pulled her to the ground, his own body coming to rest on top of hers. “Hi,” he said, his smile only surpassed the bright blush on his cheeks from the cold. 

“Hi,” she replied, leaning up for a kiss and smoothing a hand over his cold cheeks. “Want to go inside for a bit?” Warm-up and have some coffee?” 

Pulling himself up reluctantly, because Rey was far too tempting lying in the snow, he held out a hand to help her back up to her feet, both of them going back upstairs to the welcoming warmth and promise of coffee, cocoa, and love.


	3. Love and GBBO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It may be early, but it's time for week three of Reyuxmas! This week's theme is Food, Treats, and Traditions, so our dynamic duo has some fun with their own food traditions.

“Hurry! Hurry! It’s coming on,” Rey yelled into the kitchen as she turned the television up, the familiar and comforting theme music of her favorite baking show playing on the screen. She settled down on the couch and pulled a blanket close, warding off the chill that still made her shiver from time to time. Though their time out in the snow was hours ago now, the weather worsening too much to go back out in it after their brief warm-up, then much longer shower afterward, it left enough time to settle in and watch what Rey considered the best show in the world. 

A few moments later, Hux came into the room with a tray of cookies and cocoa for them to share. There was always something about the Great British Bake Off that brought a little of home back to their little apartment, making him almost miss London for a second before bringing himself back to the present and the life he was building with Rey. There was nothing better than that. 

“Good, you didn’t really miss anything. Just the introduction,” Rey said as she picked up a cup of cocoa and snuggled in close to Hux again, letting her head rest on his shoulder. Though this was hardly traditional for them, being able to settle in and watch GBBO instead of just a recording that evening after dinner, it was nice to be able to spend that time together instead of running and doing the errands they couldn’t get to during the week. 

“Oh my god, I can’t believe she would do that! That’s definitely not how you bake a pie crust! You have to poke the holes in it, or it’ll get all puffy when she brings it out of the oven later,” Rey said, shaking her head at the baker who, according to Rey at least, was making a mistake that anyone would know not to make. 

Hux chuckled and looked at Rey, raising an eyebrow. “And how would you know that? Have you even made a pie before?” A head shake in the negative told Hux his answer almost immediately, along with the return of the blush across her cheeks. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” 

“Yeah, and you know how to make one,” Rey asked in reply, raising an eyebrow in much the same way Hux had, which made him laugh out loud and kiss her forehead gently. 

“Maybe one day I’ll show you my limited, and I do stress limited skills in baking. It’s not really all that impressive, so don’t get your hopes up too much.” 

“No, you can’t say that! I want to see what you’re capable of much sooner than one day. We should bake something today.” 

A few hours and a quick trip to the supermarket later, Hux and Rey found themselves in the kitchen, Rey putting on a ridiculous looking, at least in Hux’s very honest opinion, apron with a snowman on it. Though something about her that always knocked Hux flat, she was unabashedly herself. Lovely and cheerful, childlike in her enthusiasm, it made him want to be the same just to make her happy. Just to keep her by his side for the rest of their lives.   
Rey looked at Hux, seeing his stare. “Do I have something on me,” she asked, self-consciously running her hands up and down the apron to wipe off the invisible lint or stray crumb from the last time she tried to cook something. Hux just shook his head, coming close to kiss her forehead before excusing himself to the bedroom for just a moment. Rey watched as he walked away, concerned that somehow she had upset or offended him without even trying. 

“Hey, can you come here for a sec,” he asked a moment later, sitting on the couch and patting a spot next to him for her to sit. He took a deep breath as she approached, sitting in the spot next to him, still wearing the apron but also a nervous expression on her face. Taking her hand in his free one, the other hidden away for just a moment, he squeezed hers before bringing it up for a kiss, hoping to reassure her that nothing was wrong. 

“What’s going on? Did I do something,” she asked, still nervous and more than a little terrified at his sudden exit and reappearance, not sure what was going on. 

“No. No, sweetheart, you didn’t do anything wrong. I just… I need to tell you something, and just...promise that you’ll listen to everything I have to say before you reply, okay?” 

Hux took a deep breath, squeezing her hand just a little better to help calm his own, which had begun to shake. “Rey, sweetheart… The last few years being with you have been the best of my life. I think meeting you was the thing that saved me from just...being a terrible person. From taking a path that I never want to walk down, because it would have turned me into someone I never wanted to be. Everything about you is perfect for me, and I can’t imagine another day without waking up next to you.” Moving a bit, he sunk down on one knee and opened a small velvet box to reveal a delicate, but a beautiful diamond ring. “Rey, will you marry me?” 

Rey stared down at the ring before looking back up at Hux again, speechless. She couldn’t believe what was happening. This wonderful man wanted to marry her, and somehow she couldn’t find a way to say no. “Yes. Yes, I will marry you.”


	4. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year --- December 24th, 9 PM EST

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loosely inspired by the musical RENT, Hux is an aspiring filmmaker who has made a documentary of his friends/community as an application to a prestigious film school. When the film is shown to said friends, everyone, especially Rey, is surprised to see that she features heavily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to week four, which is again far too early! There is a method to my madness here since I doubt I will get to the Christmas and New Year stories on time. 
> 
> Thank you to itsquietcompany on Tumblr for the beta read! 
> 
> A quick reminder, as well! Never text during a film! It’s not only incredibly rude to your fellow moviegoers, but also the filmmaker if he is sitting right next to you…

“Ben, where did you put the extension cord? People are going to be here any minute!” 

Ben rolled his eyes, putting down the bottles of beer he had taken out of the refrigerator on the counter before making his way back into the living room. A few moments later, the cord was in Hux’s hand, having been taken out of the box it had been sitting in for hours since Hux had come back in the apartment like a tornado, trying, like Ben had been for most of the day, to get ready for their party that evening. It was almost like he had turned into a whirlwind himself since the night when Hux had finally finished his documentary, a year-long project the redhead had devoted himself to. 

Once the projector had been plugged in and placed ever so carefully where their television had been just a few hours before, Hux let out a sigh and sat down on the couch, feeling it dip as Ben sat down beside him a moment later. Taking the beer he was handed, Hux nodded before looking toward Ben. “Thanks… For putting up with me. I don’t get what I’m so nervous about,” he said, taking a long swig before putting the bottle on a coaster. 

“I would be shocked if you weren’t nervous tonight, Armie,” Ben said with a little bit of a smirk trying to form on his face, both from the truth of his words and the nickname he was sure Hux would admonish him for soon enough. “I mean, it’s going to be pretty damn obvious by the end of the night. If she doesn’t get it, she’s thicker than I was when we met.” 

“What if she freaks out? What if she thinks I’m some creep who used this to spy or record her against her will? I don’t think I could take it if she thought it was something bad,” Hux replied in what could only be considered a whine from him. 

“Come on, Hux. You know that’s not going to happen. She’s a smart girl and she knows you. You weren’t trying to be creepy or spy on her. You just...like her. I can see the appeal,” Ben said, shrugging a bit and finishing his beer. Ever since they had moved in together two years before, and the year since Rey had arrived in their building, Ben had never seen his longtime best friend so nervous about anyone. Even if he didn’t know Rey and consider her a good friend, he would know she was special. Hux didn’t go this nuts about any ordinary girl. 

Hux snorted, pushing Ben with his shoulder. “Yeah right, since you’re so straight. Remind me of this later after you’ve spent the night staring at Poe or Mikata.”   
“Oh _come on_ , how long have you been sitting on that? I told you, there’s nothing going on. Poe and I grew up together and Mikata is more interested in Phasma anyway. I’m just on my own this year and that’s fine. You, on the other hand, need a girlfriend, so go get her tiger.” 

“Don’t call me tiger.” 

* * *

“Hey, Rey. Can I take your coat,” Ben asked as Rey came into their apartment, snowflakes still stuck to her hat and eyelashes. He helped her out of the coat carefully, hanging it on the rack near the door, giving Hux a few moments to admire her before the woman noticed he was even watching. 

“Thank you, Ben,” Rey replied with a smile, leaning up to kiss his cheek gently, making Hux look away so he wouldn’t have to see her with Ben, even though he knew there was nothing at all between them. She took off her scarf as well before hanging it on top of her coat and placing her hat on top, stepping into the warm and comfortable apartment that had become as much like home as her own downstairs, a little sanctuary in a still unfamiliar city. “Am I too early? I thought everyone was coming over.”

Hux shook his head as he came over to finally greet Rey, his initial feeling of jealousy buried under the surface. “No, Phasma is on her way, as are Mikata and Poe. I guess just coming from downstairs takes a lot less time than trying to make it through traffic at this time of night,” he teased. 

“Okay, okay… You’re right. I didn’t have to come that far, but you know Phasma, she always likes to be early. I’m really surprised that I made it here before her…” 

“Ah, you did! Damn it, I owe Poe a fiver,” Phasma said from the door a moment later, slipping out of her beautiful grey pea coat, the snowflakes seeming to fall off her just as gracefully. 

“Ha! Told you she’d be on time, hand it over, Phas,” Poe said as he walked through the door as well, kissing Rey on the cheek before handing Ben the case of beer he had brought with him, Finn and Mikata following behind with pizza and other snacks in their hands. With a long-suffering sigh that came with a smile, a five-dollar bill switched hands, though it was quickly snatched away by Rey and put in her pocket. “Hey, that’s mine!” 

“If you two are betting on when I’ll show up somewhere, I’m getting the winnings. Maybe that’ll teach you two to be betting on me,” she said, laughing and waving the bill one more time in his face before shoving it in her pocket again. 

“Alright, everyone, let’s get settled and started before Hux has a heart attack over there. I swear, he’s about to explode in nerves over there,” Ben said, putting the beer and snacks down on the coffee table. 

* * *

_The film began in early spring, shots of the city under a blanket of snow before turning into something closer to a picture-perfect postcard. Trees blooming bright pink in the sunshine, the cold Hudson River crossing toward the Statue of Liberty. In all of the shots, there seemed to be one similarity - Rey._

_Everything shifted after a few moments to a small comfortable room in Hux and Ben’s apartment, the sunset coming through the window. The focus though was still entirely on Rey, sitting on the couch in a bright blue sundress and a white sweater, her signature three buns in her hair. Though it seemed like it was quiet enough, the radio played a song which seemed to soothe Rey, making her look more relaxed in front of the camera._

_“So...what brought you here? Why New York City?”_

_Rey thought for a second, her nose scrunching before she noticed...a hand coming up to touch it, making her laugh quietly at herself._

_“I don’t know. I mean, there was always something about New York that seemed so free, so different than where I grew up. I mean...it was pretty empty, always hot, the people were fine but it was always the same people. Am I making sense? I feel like I’m rambling,” she said, blushing a little, trying not to stare directly into the camera or at Hux sitting beside it._

_Hux chuckled, reaching out to take her hand and squeeze it briefly before pulling it away so he’d stay off-camera. “No, you’re doing great. I can edit it out if you’re uncomfortable.”_

_Rey nodded, trying to smile by just looking at Hux, seeing him with the same gentle smile he always had, the one that made her heart flutter and butterflies explode in her stomach._

_“What was the question again?”_

**Nerd Herd Chat:**

Poe -- to the group:   
**Please tell me that I’m not the only one seeing some serious flirting going on here.**

Phasma:   
**Definitely not. Rey is giving him some serious <3 eyes here. **

Ben:   
**You mean like always? Try living with/around them. They are ALWAYS flirting.**

Phasma:   
**If they don’t do something tonight, you and I are going to have to knock some sense into them, Ben.**

Ben:  
 **Agreed.**

* * *

_Rey walked down the street toward their favorite cafe, the reindeer antlers she wore clashing horribly with her bright pink hat, but she still managed to make it look cute._

_“I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas,” she said, turning toward Hux and taking his hand as they walked into the cafe together. Luckily they hadn’t seemed to mind him coming in with a camera over the last few months, recording people as they walked through and went about their business over days and weeks._

_“Neither can I. Where has this year gone,” he asked, snow falling in front of the camera as both Hux and Rey shook the white flakes off their coats and hats. They both took their seats at the usual table, pointing the camera toward the cafe as a whole just to watch, see the city moving around them._

_After a little while of just watching the people pass by, Hux and Rey drinking their coffee in companionable silence, the camera is picked up and turned on Hux._

_“Why did you come to New York? I don’t think I’ve ever heard the story, and well...you’ve asked everyone else around us.”_

_Hux looked down at his coffee for a few long moments, thinking of the right way to answer the question for what he knew would end up having to stay in. He couldn’t edit himself out, Rey was right, he had asked it of everyone else. What kind of filmmaker, what kind of friend would he be if he refused to answer the question himself?_

_“I suppose I have to be honest here, huh,” he asked, trying to inject a bit of humor into what he knew would end up being a serious conversation. Nothing about his life before moving to New York City with Ben had been all that great, his best friend the only honest bright spot at that time. “I moved here to get as far away from my father as I could, even if it meant not knowing what I was going to do once I got there. Dear old dad always wanted me to take over for him, go into business, be successful… That was never what I wanted.”_

_Rey gave Hux a gentle smile, encouraging him to keep talking with a touch of his hand. “So, you want to be a filmmaker then. Has that always been what you wanted? Or was it just...what you discovered once you got here?”_

_“Art was always something I was interested in, but always really bad at,” Hux replied, laughing a bit and finishing off his coffee. “I can’t draw worth anything, but writing… Apparently, I can write a screenplay that’s halfway decent? And I can make short films that I’m proud of, but I want to make documentaries. I want to tell stories of real people, places and things that are ignored or not known about. That’s something I can do for me and for everyone, and it would make me really happy to do it.”_

* * * 

_“There’s something I’ve learned this past year, really since I moved here... People are what’s important. The people you like, the people you love, the people who make you want to get up every morning and face the new day ahead of you. They’re more important than money or things, what you’re told should be important. Sure, life is tough and it really sucks sometimes, but I think... You still have to live it. You have to make it through the bad to get through to the good, to make it good.”_

_Images fill the screen, some of Rey and friends -- all of them having fun together throughout the years, and others are of the people Hux met and interviewed throughout the year. All smile as they face the camera, happy in that one moment to be in some kind of spotlight._

_“Life is sweeter with struggle, but it doesn’t mean it always has to be that way. It’s beautiful and good, something worth going on to be able to experience.”_

**Nerd Herd Chat:**

Mikata:   
**Seriously? How does he not see that this whole thing is basically a love letter to Rey?**

Ben:   
**I have no freaking clue.**

Poe:   
**You have to admit though, it is really cute.**

Phasma:  
 **Our Armie is nothing if not oblivious and completely in love.**

* * * 

“Hey, we need to go talk,” Phasma whispered to Rey as the lights turned back on, the tall blonde pulling Rey over to a corner of the room. “So...that was something, wasn’t it?”

Rey nodded, though she took a minute to think before speaking, something that Phasma was more than willing to give. “Please tell me everyone saw what I did. I mean… Was it not obvious to everyone but me?”

Phasma couldn’t help her grin when she realized Rey really _got_ it. “Trust me, darling, you definitely weren’t the only one to see it. He’s head over heels in love with you, and all of this just proves it.” 

* * * 

“Hey, do you think we can talk for a second,” Rey asked as everyone began to scatter after the film was over, Ben standing to dismantle the projector and screen as Rey sat back on the couch beside Hux again. 

“Yeah, let’s go out on the balcony. Everyone will probably listen if we stayed here,” he replied, terrified of what was coming, especially with the serious look on her face. What if it really was too much? What if she didn’t feel the same way about him? What if she didn’t...want to be around him anymore?” 

Rey shook her head, a little bit of a tentative smile on her face that made Hux’s heart skip a beat but also helped to loosen the knot in his stomach. She wouldn’t be smiling if she was never wanting to see him again, would she? “You’re probably right about that. I think I could count the people who are not listening to us on one hand if I can at all.” Phasma made a noise of disagreement with that comment which really just proved Rey’s point, making her giggle quietly as she pulled Hux out onto the cold balcony. 

Rey shivered almost immediately as they stepped out into the cold night, the wind hitting them like knives through the air. It was something she still wasn’t used to, the cold, being a desert girl through and through. “So, um...let me get this out, okay? I just need you to listen for a second,” she said, ignoring the cold for a moment to look up at Hux, seeing him staring back at her with the same nervousness that she felt, but the gentleness and maybe even more than just friendship under the surface. “I guess I just want to say that I… I don’t really know how to say what I want to say because it’s you and I like you a lot. I don’t want to make you feel like you have to like me too, but it looks like you do. At least in there, it looked like you did. I don’t know… I’m not making sense,” she said, not knowing how to stop herself from rambling. 

Hux moved in closer to cup Rey’s cheek, stopping her continuing rant with a gentle touch. “I do like you. I like you a lot, and I know it was kind of obvious in there. I had no idea how obvious it was until you were sitting there right next to me. I guess… I suppose it took being close to you, wanting to be around you all the time for me to realize the same. There isn’t anyone on this earth I want to see every day more than you, be close to, know everything about. I feel the same way about you, okay?” 

The next thing either of them heard was cheering, clapping and shouts of “It’s about damn time!” from their friends on the other side of the window. 

“Do you know what, Rey,” Hux asked, looking over at their friends before glancing back in her direction. 

“What,” she asked, wrapping an arm around him and kissing his cheek gently. 

“I think it’s going to be a happy new year.”

Rey looked to Hux, both of them smiling and climbing back into the apartment to celebrate Christmas and love with the people they loved most.


	5. Week Five -- A Visit to Santa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! It's a Christmas miracle, a new chapter of Reyuxmas has come! 
> 
> I honestly didn't think I would have the motivation to write anything for this ship in the shadow of TROS, but it turns out a little Christmas spirit can turn anything around. Enjoy! 
> 
> This is unedited and unbetaed, so please be kind!

It was Christmas Eve, far too late to be doing any kind of shopping, especially with an over-excited ten-year-old, but Hux didn’t find himself with too many options left. Though it was his first holiday as a single man since before his daughter Molly was born, it was still on the way to being a special one. Molly ran through the corridors between stores, carefully maneuvering her way through people without coming close to hitting one, on her way to one central location. The only person she really wanted to see on this cold, winter day. 

Santa. 

“Come on, daddy! We’re going to be late! He’s going to leave soon,” she cried from about ten feet in front of him, making sure to keep close enough so Hux could see her, but hurrying along at a pace that was difficult to keep up within the crowd of people. 

“Molly, darling, Santa isn’t going to leave,” he started as he checked his watch, realizing with panic that the time had gone by far faster than he had anticipated. It was nearly noon, the time in which the Santa stand would be closing for the season, and with it a broken promise to his only daughter. He began to move quicker now, still managing to not hit or run into only one, but only just. He soon caught up to Molly, sighing in relief when he saw that the stand was still open. There was still hope for one more Christmas wish. 

The line was short, thankfully, as most of the other shoppers had likely been to see the man in red earlier than noon the day before Christmas, and moved quickly. Though not quickly enough for Molly, her bouncing feet and barely contained excitement infectious among the other kids around her. It was once they reached the front of the line that he saw her. 

Though dressed in a truly ridiculous elf costume, she was easily the most beautiful woman Hux had ever seen. Her long brown hair done in two braids, each perfectly seated on the sides of her head. Her eyes shone bright as she watched each child sit on Santa’s lap like it was the highlight of her day to be there in the moment, and her smile lit up the room. Hux couldn’t help but stare at this enchanting woman, so much so that he missed the line moving and Molly taking her turn on Santa’s lap until she was already upon it. 

“Now, what would you like for Christmas this year,” the man dressed as Santa asked, his voice booming and deep like you would imagine Father Christmas himself to sound like. Rey smiled at Molly like she had all the other children, anxiously awaiting her answer just as much as if she were her own daughter. Molly leaned in to whisper in Santa’s ear, keeping her request short. Santa pulled back from her seriously and nodded, keeping the smile on his face but looking at Molly like she was a far more special child than any he had seen that day. 

“Well, I’ll try my best to do that for you, Molly. Until then, take a candy cane for yourself and have a Merry Christmas.” 

Molly nodded, hugging Santa one more time as Hux took pictures of both of them together, before climbing off his lap and running over to Rey, taking a blue and pink striped candy cane. Stealing one more look at Rey, Hux wrapped his arm around Molly as they walked away together. 

Later, as Hux let Molly run toward the small play area to run off some of her energy, he sat on a bench beside the few shopping bags he managed to get before they made their journey to Santa. He looked away from Molly when he felt someone sit down next to him, feeling his heart jump into his throat when he realized it was the elf from the Santa stand, sans her ridiculous green hat. 

“She looks like a bundle of energy,” Rey said after a few moments of silence, unsure how to start a conversation without just jumping in. She looked to him again, trying not to blush at the way he stared back at her, and held out her hand. “I’m Rey.” 

“Armitage.” 

“It’s very nice to meet you,” she replied, turning away enough so he hopefully wouldn’t see her blush. 

Both sat in silence for a few moments, Rey fighting back her blush and Hux trying to find the words to say that wouldn’t make him sound like a fool. It was only when Molly came running back over that either of them could find it in them to say a word. 

“Hi, Miss Rey,” Molly said, bouncing up and down in continued excited energy, seeing her Christmas come true right before her eyes. She looked at both Rey and her father, taking a drink of her water before running back out to play again. 

“So… I’m not sure if I should tell you this, but I heard what Molly told Santa she wanted this year,” Rey said after a few more moments, looking over at Armitage again. “She said… She said she wanted you to be happy for Christmas. Not for a toy or a puppy, but for you to be happy. I just thought it was the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.” 

Armitage shook his head, smiling a little before sighing sadly. He had tried so hard the majority of his feelings from Molly since her mother left, but apparently she had picked up on far more than he would like. “She’s always been perceptive. Maybe too perceptive, but no less perfect. I don’t know how I deserved a little girl like her.” 

“She must have a pretty amazing father to be worried so much about his happiness, especially above her own. Not every little girl would wish for that,” Rey replied, reaching over to lay a hand on his arm. “It’s a testament to how much she loves you, and how much I’m sure you love her. Whatever is happening, it’s going to be okay.” Squeezing his arm one more time, she got up to leave. Before she could move far though, Armitage stood up and reached for her, stopping her for just a moment. 

“Here,” he said, pulling out a business card and pressing it into her hand. “Thank you… For being so kind, for coming to talk. If you want to again, call me.” 

Rey smiled, her blush back full force as she looked down at the number. “I think I will.”


	6. Week Six - Happy New Year!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, week six of Reyuxmas! We're finally at the end of the six weeks of holiday prompts and I have truly loved every second of this. This week's theme is New Years for the coming holiday, and though the main ship for this is Reylo, it does have the beginnings of a Reylux friendship! Andddd, this may be the start of a large scale Reyux fic that I plan to write sometime this year, so stay tuned! 
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy week six of Reyuxmas! Also, be kind in your comments. This is only slightly edited and unbeta'd.

The party was in full swing by the time Hux arrived, still dressed in his suit from work but freshened up a bit so he wasn’t too terribly uncomfortable. The invitation from his new neighbors had come as a surprise, especially since he had only moved into the building less than a month before, but a welcome one. Ben and Rey, the couple who lived down the hall from Hux, seemed like really nice people, that he knew from the moment he met them. 

“Hux, you came,” a surprised but delighted voice came from across the room, the woman the voice belonged to soon showing up with a glass of sparkling juice in her hand. Rey leaned down to give Hux a one-armed hug, not wanting to splash her beverage all over his beautifully made suit. “It’s so good to see you. I said that you would come, but Ben wasn’t so sure.” 

“Of course I came,” Hux replied, putting the heavy coat he had previously taken off and put on top of the ever-growing pile in a sitting chair next to him. “I’m really sorry that I’m late. My boss was adamant that all of us put in a full day, whether we had clients or not.” 

Rey waved a hand as if to say that it wasn’t important, that the fact that he had shown up at all was more than enough to make her happy. She truly was grateful to see Hux there, to get a chance to get to know a new neighbor that was a very welcome reminder of home. It wasn’t often that fellow Londoners made their way to their little suburb on Long Island. “Please don’t worry about that. The party is just getting started and I’m sure traffic back from Manhattan was terrible. Make yourself at home, please.” 

As Rey walked away with a smile, Hux did exactly that. He wandered around the apartment, saying hello occasionally to familiar faces from their building, before finally setting himself up with a drink and a small plate of snacks near the windows. He looked out the window, seeing the outline of the Manhattan skyline in the distance, grateful for the millionth time that night to be as far from the city as he could. He stayed in his spot for nearly an hour, watching neighbors and friends wander around the apartment, somehow finding room to move between large furniture pieces and other people. It was always a hobby of his, just watching how people interacted with each other, speaking with words as well as gestures, facial expressions saying far more than anything else could about moods and true feelings. 

“Hey,” a man’s voice said, pulling Hux out of his reverie. He looked up and saw Ben, the second of the two neighbors that had been kind enough to seek him out from time to time. Gesturing with a hand, he asked without a word to take the spot next to him and Hux nodded in return, an entire conversation happening with only a single word. Ben sat down beside Hux, taking a sip of his beer and watching the rest of the guest mill around, laughing and talking as they all anxiously awaited a new year. “Enjoying the party,” he asked, finishing off his beer and looking at the man beside him. 

“Yeah, thanks. I’m having a good time,” Hux replied, taking another drink of his own beer before putting it aside as well. “I never really said thanks for inviting me. I know I’m the new guy around here, but it was nice for you guys to think about me.” 

“It’s no problem. You seem like a really good guy and Rey likes you. I don’t think she thought she’d ever meet another Londoner around here any time soon. Though you don’t sound like you came from London, even if you did live there.” 

Hux shook his head, leaning back a bit. “No, I was born in Dublin. I only moved to London for university and stayed for a few years after. Living here in America has been an adjustment, but I think I like it. Helps to have friends.” 

Rey came over then, sitting on Hux’s other side and handing both men plates with pieces of cake. “Hey, what are you guys talking about,” she asked, looking at both Hux and Ben as she ate her cake. It was a delicious cake if she did say so herself, one that she hoped Hux would like. Both men shrugged like it had been nothing, each taking bites of their dessert after a quick thank you. 

“Ben was just coming over to talk, asking me if I was liking the party,” Hux decided to reply after enjoying a couple bites of the cake, filled with strawberries and cream like the ones he remembered from the bakeries back in London. It was something he had missed in the time since he had moved to America, people here seeming to enjoy chocolate more than the fresh fruit flavors that were more commonplace in the United Kingdom. “Thank you for the cake, it’s delicious.” 

Rey smiled at the thanks, grateful that he liked it. “I thought you’d like a little reminder of home, and it’s something I make every summer anyway when the berries are a bit fresher, but it’s still good. Just wait until June, you’ll never look at a Victoria sponge the same way again.”

The three of them enjoyed their dessert in silence, the music starting to be what comprised the majority of the noise as more of the guests ate and drank instead of continuing their conversations. It was nice to see so many of their friends, old and new, enjoying themselves, anxiously awaiting the new year to begin. 

***

As midnight approached, the noise began to grow, everyone in the room as well as the building waking up and adding to the nerves and excitement. Though the celebrations were commonplace, not much different than the ones he had known in London, there was still something far different about this night. Maybe it was the new beginning on a new continent to look forward to, adjusting to a new job that he had always dreamed of but never imagined he would have, but he thought...perhaps he knew in his heart what it truly was, friends. In the hours since he arrived at the party, Rey or Ben had hardly left his side. Though occasionally they were called away to answer a question in conversation or reply to a joke that seemed to be a favorite of the crowd he was in, Hux was never alone. He wasn’t sure if it was to make him more comfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings or if they were just trying to be good hosts, it didn’t matter to him. He would have disappeared back to his quiet apartment long ago if it hadn’t been for their attention. 

“Hux, come here! It’s time for the countdown,” Rey called from near the television, turning up the volume before stepping back and putting on a ridiculous looking hat. She picked one up from the kitchen table and put it on Hux’s head as he approached, giving him a brilliant, beautiful smile at the sight, even though he knew that it likely clashed with his bright red hair. 

“TEN …. NINE …. EIGHT,” everyone counted, the ball in Times Square beginning its descent from the top of its tower toward the bottom. Couples began to move closer together, smiling and taking hands in preparation for the moment. The midnight kiss. 

“SEVEN …. SIX …. FIVE …” 

Ben and Rey moved closer next to Hux, wrapping their arms around each other as they counted down with the rest of their guests. 

“FOUR …. THREE …. TWO …. ONE!” 

“Happy New Year!” 

Everyone cheered and celebrated as the fireworks across the river began to sound through the window, couples giving each other a soft kiss before pulling away to join in to greet friends and family. Ben and Rey, however, stayed close to each other, Ben holding Rey close and cupping her cheek gently, each of them whispering their “I love you”’s before kissing again, looking like a couple as much in love as any he had ever seen. Hux turned away after a brief moment, sharing well wishes with friends and neighbors as he made his way back to his comfortable seat. Though he didn’t have anyone to share a New Years’ kiss with, it was surely going to be an adventure.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is on Discord and would like more information about a carefree and fun Reyux community, send me a private message!


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